ZAGREB, Aug 24 (Hina) - Amnesty International Croatia (AIH) suggested on Saturday the Croatian government dismiss a request by the United States on signing a bilateral agreement on the non-transfer of US citizens to the International
Criminal Court (ICC), claiming this was political trade which violated human rights.
ZAGREB, Aug 24 (Hina) - Amnesty International Croatia (AIH)
suggested on Saturday the Croatian government dismiss a request by
the United States on signing a bilateral agreement on the non-
transfer of US citizens to the International Criminal Court (ICC),
claiming this was political trade which violated human rights. #L#
"The request of the United States that the Croatian authorities
sign an agreement on the non-extradition of US citizens to the ICC
should be dismissed without hesitation, because there must be no
double standards when it comes to human rights issues," AIH said in
a statement.
AIH believes there must be no immunity from prosecution for anyone
who commits grave violations of human rights, such as genocide, war
crimes, and crimes against humanity.
"By attempting to oppose the prosecution of human rights violations
and providing compensation for the victims, the United States is
jeopardising the integrity of the international system of justice
as a whole and bringing into question the universal nature of
accepted principles on the non-existence of immunity for the
perpetrators of the gravest crimes," the statement reads.
AIH notes that there are at least three attitudes in Croatian
society towards the US request. According to the first one, the
request should be dismissed exclusively due to the stand of the
European Union, although the best solution would be if the EU and
the USA could agree on relieving Croatia from any responsibility in
that regard. According to the second, for the sake of admission to
so-called Euro-Atlantic (military) associations and current
military assistance by the United States, Croatia should give in to
pressures or at least wait for the rapprochement of the US and EU
stands. According to the third one, the request should be dismissed
because the USA supports the existing ad hoc tribunal in The Hague.
AIH believes all three attitudes are problematic because they "are
consciously or unconsciously directed at trade in human rights and
disregard the suffering of thousands of people throughout the world
and undermine the establishment of international jurisdiction over
the gravest crimes".
(hina) rml